House Committee on Government Transparency and Operation - 84th R.S. (2015)

Committee:	House Government Transparency and Operation
Title:	Interim Report
Subjects:	Computer networks | Computers and government | Criminal records | Data centers | Electronic security | Law enforcement | Public information | Public Information Act, Texas | State agencies | State purchasing | Video cameras and recordings |
Library Call Number:	L1836.84 G747T
Session:	84th R.S. (2015)
Online version:	View report [76 pages]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Identify and address potential gaps in the state's cybersecurity policies and ensure that personal information held by state agencies is secure. Address whether industry-accepted cybersecurity standards have been met by state agencies and state data centers and determine ways to promote a culture of cybersecurity awareness among users of state information resources.
2.	Examine purchasing practices by state agencies to ensure such practices are efficient and transparent.
3.	Study issues related to access to public information held outside of the custody or control of the governmental body by current or former officers or employees. Assess whether the Public Information Act's procedures for response to repetitious or redundant public information requests adequately protect small governmental bodies from the financial burdens imposed by such requests.
4.	Study the use of commercial cloud computing by state agencies and institutions of higher education, including efficiencies surrounding a utility-based model, security impacts of transitioning to cloud computing, and cost-savings achieved by the utilization of commercial cloud computing services.
5.	Review the process of dissemination by public entities of criminal records containing incomplete or inaccurate information, assess options for the subjects of such records to correct the misinformation specifically as it interferes with their ability to obtain employment, and determine the need for greater regulations over this process. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety)
6.	Study the impact of emerging technologies used by law enforcement and issues related to appropriate dissemination of the data provided by those technologies, including the impact of technologies on the operation of law enforcement agencies, the operation of the Public Information Act, and any appropriate safeguards for citizens and law enforcement officers who interact with those technologies or whose data is recorded. (Joint charge with the House Select Committee on Emerging Issues in Texas Law Enforcement)
7.	Conduct legislative oversight and monitoring of the agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction and the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 84th Legislature. In conducting this oversight, the committee should: a. consider any reforms to state agencies to make them more responsive to Texas taxpayers and citizens; b. identify issues regarding the agency or its governance that may be appropriate to investigate, improve, remedy, or eliminate; c. determine whether an agency is operating in a transparent and efficient manner; and d. identify opportunities to streamline programs and services while maintaining the mission of the agency and its programs.
Supporting documents
Committee:	House Government Transparency and Operation
Title:	Committee meeting handouts and testimony, February 17, 2015 (State contracting and procurement)
Library Call Number:
Session:	84th R.S. (2015)
Online version:	View document [85 pages  File size: 3,974 kb]
Committee:	House Government Transparency and Operation
Title:	Committee meeting handouts and testimony, February 25, 2015 (Cooperative contracts)
Library Call Number:
Session:	84th R.S. (2015)
Online version:	View document [239 pages  File size: 4,997 kb]
Committee:	House Government Transparency and Operation
Title:	Committee meeting handouts and testimony, April 5, 2016 (Cyber security, purchasing efficiency and transparency, cloud computing)
Library Call Number:
Session:	84th R.S. (2015)
Online version:	View document [157 pages  File size: 7,747 kb]

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